Page 13 of It's In The Duke's Kiss
Lady Emmaline strolled with utter grace toward his front door. He found himself leaning closer to the glass as she neared. He recalled her eyes suddenly. They were extraordinary. Yes, they were the color of a perfectly cloudless day, and that did make them lovely, but what made them exquisite was her gaze appeared innocent yet challenging at once, an intriguing combination.
He couldn’t imagine why Lady Emmaline—and obviously her sister and parents—were here unless… He looked at his mother. “Mother, did you invite the Earl of Albersey and his family to your dinner party?”
She nodded, her eyes flashing defiance. “I did. And before you get angry, Ihadto invite them.”
“I cannot comprehend why you think you had to do so,” he grumbled. “This is going to be a problem.”
“I had to invite them because of you. And why would this be a problem?”
“Me?” he very nearly thundered, only lowering his tone at the last second. “How did I cause this?”
His mother narrowed her eyes. “You may be the duke, but I am still your mother. Do not snip at me.”
“Very well.” He gritted his teeth. “How do you deduce that I forced you to invite them?”
“You personally saved Lady Emmaline from being ruined by starting that preposterous rumor about her debilitating megrims, which everyone seems to be believing.”
He tensed. How had his mother known? “Why would you think I would do such a thing?”
She smirked. “I don’t think it, I know it. I overheard you at the masquerade ball threatening Lady Peabody and saying that you would give her the cut direct if she dared to utter any more rumors regarding your brother and Lady Emmaline.”
“Where the devil were you? I never saw you.”
Mother smiled. “I slipped behind the curtains by the terrace when I saw you take the woman by the elbow and lead her in my direction. I knew something had to be most terribly wrong for you to willingly subject yourself to that woman’s company.”
Lucian groaned. No good deed ever went unpunished.
His mother smiled knowingly. “Don’t fret, darling. The secret that you have a kind heart is safe.”
“I still don’t see what that has to do with inviting Lady Emmaline and her family tonight.”
His mother gave him a secretive smile he didn’t care for at all. He preferred to know all the comings and goings of his impetuous mother. “Mother,” he warned.
She laughed. “Oh all right. Imagine my surprise when at the same ball I encountered your cousin, Lord Edgeworth, and he told me that it was in factyouwho’d saved Lady Emmaline and not Nathaniel. Why did you not relay that in the story you told me of the day?”
“I don’t know,” he clipped. He felt suddenly and very distinctly uncomfortable under his mother’s scrutinizing gaze.
She arched an eyebrow. “It’s very curious to me that you have rescued Lady Emmaline not once but twice now. It makes me wonder if she’s captured your interest.”
He scoffed. “Don’t be absurd. She’s but a child.”
His mother shook her head. “Rubbish. I’ve seen her. She’s very much a woman now.”
His body heated with the memory of her soft curves displayed starkly by her wet, clinging gown. Lady Emmaline had most definitely become a beautiful woman, but she was also a very impetuous one, and the last thing he wanted or needed was one more impetuous person to look after. “If you invited them to try to match me with Lady Emmaline—”
“Certainly not!” Mother exclaimed. “I’d never try to match you with someone who could bring spontaneity to your life,” she asserted, though her lips twitched with a smile. “I invited them because Lady Albersey overheard me tell the dressmaker that I was having a dinner party for Nathaniel’s birthday and it seemed rude not to invite her then. I’m innocent of any matchmaking schemes.”
“All right.” He nodded. “But this doesn’t bode well.”
“Whyever not?”
“Nathaniel will seek her out. Mark my words. I do believe he can sense her impetuousness.”
“Who’s impetuous?” Nathaniel asked, breezing into the room, flashing a grin.
“You are,” Lucian answered.
“And your brother is convinced Lady Emmaline is, as well,” their mother added.
